Designs of the 1902 Series
The Second Bureau Issue

Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on Double-line USPS Watermarked Paper   
Straight-edge Possibilities: 1¢-15¢ all four sides possible - 50¢-$5 left and right edges only

Click on underlined Catalog Numbers below to see more details.    

1¢ Franklin
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith    Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie
Frame: Robert F. Ponickau   Lettering: Lyman F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 300 2/3/1903 sheet stamp 11 billion 12 blue green; green to deep green; yellowish green; gray green; double transfer; worn plate; cracked plate the one-cent
stamp paid the
post card rate
1907 300b 3/22/1907 booklet pane of 6 --- 12 booklet pane of 6 the one-cent
stamp paid the
post card rate
1906 314 12/20/1906 imperforate 5 million none blue green; green to deep green; double transfer the imperforate stamps were supplied to automatic vending machine manufacturers, who then added their own private perforations
--- 314V --- imperforate vertical coil --- none blue green; with coil leader attached the imperforate stamps were supplied to automatic vending machine manufacturers, who then added their own private perforations
--- 314H --- imperforate horizontal coil --- none blue green; with coil leader attached the imperforate stamps were supplied to automatic vending machine manufacturers, who then added their own private perforations
1908 316 --- vertical coil --- 12 horiz. blue green; guide line pair these were experimental, among the first coils produced by the U. S. Post Office
1908 318 --- horizontal coil --- 12 horiz. blue green; guide line pair; double transfer these were experimental, among the first coils produced by the U. S. Post Office

2¢ Washington
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie
Frame and Lettering: R. F. Ponickau and G. Rose

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 301 1/28/1903 sheet stamp 3.3 billion 12 carmine; bright to deep carmine; carmine rose; double transfer; cracked plate the two-cent stamp paid the 
first class letter rate
1903 301c bklt single: 3/28/1903

bklt pane: 4/4/1903
booklet pane of 6 --- 12 carmine

2¢ Washington "Shield Design"
of 1903

Designer: Claire Aubrey Huston
Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, and G. Rose

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 319 11/19/1903 sheet stamp/type I 21 billion 12 carmine; bright carmine; red; 
double transfer; vert. pr. imperf. horiz.; horiz. pair imperf. or rouletted between
Types of the Two-Cent 
Redesign of 1903


the two-cent stamp paid the 
first class letter rate

the change to the "Shield Design" was in response to complaints about the prior two-cent stamp
--- 319a carmine lake Type 1 - EDU: 9/23/1904 --- 12 lake; carmine lake
--- 319b carmine rose Type 1 - EDU: 11/3/1903 --- 12 carmine rose
--- 319c scarlet Type 1 - EDU: 12/16/1903 --- 12 scarlet
--- 319f carmine lake Type II - EDU: 9/25/1908 --- 12 lake; carmine lake; gash on face
--- 319g booklet - carmine Type I - EDU: 12/7/1903 --- 12 carmine; vertical watermark (horizontal watermark error subtype)
--- 319h booklet - carmine Type II - EDU: 6/8/1908 --- 12 carmine
--- 319i carmine Type II - EDU: 6/5/1908 --- 12 carmine; red
--- 319j carmine rose Type II - EDU: 6/30/1908 --- 12 carmine rose/type II
--- 319k scarlet Type II- EDU: 4/12/1904 --- 12 scarlet/type II
--- 319n booklet (pane of 6) carmine rose Type 1 --- 12 carmine rose
--- 319p booklet (pane of 6) scarlet Type 1 --- 12 scarlet/type I booklet pane
--- 319q booklet (pane of 6) lake Type II --- 12 lake/type II booklet pane
1908 320 10/16/1906 imperforate/type I --- none carmine; double transfer the imperforate stamps were issued and sold to automatic vending machine manufacturers, who then added their own private perforations
--- 320a (imperf) carmine lake Type II - 10/1/1908 --- none lake; carmine lake; gash on face
--- 320b (imperf) scarlet Type I --- none scarlet
--- 320c (imperf) carmine rose Type I --- none carmine rose
--- 320d (imperf) carmine Type II --- none carmine
1908 320 4/9/1908 imperforate vertical coil --- none carmine made by the Bureau from imperforate sheet stock
1908 320 9/17/1908 imperforate horizontal coil --- none carmine
1908 321 10/2/1908 vertical coil perf 12 horiz./type I --- 12 horiz. carmine these were experimental, 
among the first coils produced 
by the U. S. Post Office
1908 322 7/7/1908 horiz. coil perf 12 vert./type II --- 12 vert. carmine

3¢ Jackson
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith
Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Edward M. Weeks

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 302 3/19/1903 sheet stamp 276,212,074 12 Johl lists the following shades: bright violet, violet, purplish, violet, deep purplish violet 
and bleached violet

varieties: double transfer; 
cracked plate
the three-cent stamp was 
used as an all-purpose 
stamp to complete postage requirements as needed

there was no great demand for this stamp and hence it was never issued imperforate or 
in coil form as were the other values between 1¢ and 5¢

4¢ Grant
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith    Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie,
R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Lyman F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 303 3/10/1903 sheet stamp 346 million 12 brown, yellow brown,
dark brown, orange brown, 
red brown;
double transfer
the four-cent stamp paid double the first class letter rate and was sometimes used 
as a substitute, using two stamps for the eight-cent stamp, to pay the registry rate
1908 314A 5/27/1908 imperforate --- none; all copies known have Schermack type III perforations brown;
guide line pair

5¢ Lincoln
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith
Engravers: Robert F. Ponickau, G. Rose and L. F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 304 2/9/1903 sheet stamp 550 million 12 pale blue to deep, dark blue; bright blue; indigo; deep indigo;
double transfer; cracked plate 
the five-cent stamp paid the U.P.U. rate for foreign mail
1908 315 9/15/1908 imperforate --- none blue to deep blue the imperforate stamp was sold to automatic vending machine companies, who then added their own private perforations
1908 317 9/18/1908 vertical coil perf 12 horizontally --- 12 horiz. blue these were experimental, 
among the first coils produced 
by the U. S. Post Office

6¢ Garfield
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith    Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie and Marcus W. Baldwin
Frame: R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and L. F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 305 5/8/1903 sheet stamp 117,567,474 12 claret, bright claret, 
deep claret;
dull brownish lake;
double transfer
like the three-cent stamp this stamp had small demand, but 
did pay triple the first class 
letter rate and was used as an 
all-purpose stamp to complete postage requirements

8¢ Martha Washington
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   
Engravers: Robert F. Ponickau, G. Rose and G.F.C. Smillie

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1902 306 12/27/1902 sheet stamp 176,841,474 12 violet black;
black, slate black;
double transfer
the eight-cent stamp paid 
the registry fee

10¢ Webster
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   
Engravers: M. W. Baldwin, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Lyman F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 307 3/12/1903 sheet stamp 260,010,574 12 pale red-brown, red-brown, deep red-brown;
double transfer
the 10¢ stamp paid the combined first class letter fee and registry fee on domestic mail and double the U.P.U. rate on foreign mail

13¢ Harrison
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   
Vignette: Marcus W. Baldwin    Frame: Lyman F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1902 308 11/18/1902 sheet stamp 31,290,174 12 purplish black, brown violet this was the first thirteen-cent denomination issued by the U.S. Post Office Department

13¢ paid the combined letter and registry fee on international mail

15¢ Clay
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   
Engravers; unknown but certainly from the team on this page

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 309 9/11/1903

a registry tag dated 
July? 1903 
is known
sheet stamp 41,205,754 12 olive green,. deep olive green;
double transfer
the fifteen-cent stamp was used mainly for letters over 2 oz. to Europe and on fourth class mail and parcel post packages; also
 to pay triple the U.P.U. foreign mail rate and as an  all-purpose stamp to complete postage 

50¢ Jefferson
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith    Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie
Frame and Lettering: R. F. Ponickau and G. Rose

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1903 310 10/6/1903 sheet stamp 2,651,774 12 orange, deep orange the fifty-cent stamp was 
used on multiple rate 
letters and parcels 

$1 Farragut
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander   
Smith Engravers: unknown but certainly from the team on this page

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors (from Johl) Purpose
1903 311 9/30/1903 sheet stamp 504,374 12 grayish black, gray black, black the one-dollar stamp was 
used on high multiple rate 
letters and parcels 

$2 Madison
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   
Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Lyman F. Ellis

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1903 312 2/17/1904 sheet stamp 37,872 perf 12
double line USPS watermark
blue to dark blue the two-dollar stamp was used 
primarily on  parcels 
1917 479 4/6/1917 sheet stamp 305,380 perf 10 
with no watermark
blue this stamp was often used on 
parcels to Russia

$5 Marshall
of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith   
Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Marcus W. Baldwin

Year Number EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1903 313 2/17/1904 sheet stamp 49,211 perf 12
double line USPS watermark
dark green the two-dollar stamp was used 
primarily on  parcels 
1917 480 4/6/1917 sheet stamp 217,167 perf 10 
with no watermark 
green this stamp was often used on 
parcels to Russia

Notes:
The EDU information is based on the best information available. If you know of a documented usage earlier than the one listed, please let me know and the information will be updated as appropriate.

Bibliography and suggested additional reading:
The U.S. Postage Stamps of the 20th Century, Volume I revised, by Max Johl (1937)
The 1949 Scott U.S. Specialized Stamp Catalogue Scott Publications, Inc.

Rates:
U.S. Domestic Postal Rates 1872-1999, by Beecher and Wawrukiewicz (1999)
U.S. International Postal Rates 1872-1999, by Beecher and Wawrukiewicz (1996)

Notable Auction Sales:
The Dr. Joseph Agris Gold Medal Collection of United States Coil Issues - Shreves Philatelic Galleries Sep.5, 1997
The Roger S. Brody Gold Medal Collection the United States 1902 Series - Shreves Philatelic Galleries Dec. 6, 2002
The Cheshire Collection of 1902-1908 Issues - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries March 12, 2004
The North Fork Collection of Superb 20th Century U.S. - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #903 October 20, 2005
The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Pt. III: 1902-1934 Issues B-O-B - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #968b Sep. 22-25, 2009